Obsession
by xoemac
Summary: Two faces from the past return to haunt Aaron and Terry, and they both will influence the fate to two PC residents.


Mandatory Disclaimers: The characters and situations from GH are the property of TPTB at ABC. The characters and situations from Highlander belong to Panzer/David and Rhyser Entertainment. The characters and situations from Forever Knight belong to James Parriot and Sony/Tri-Star. The characters of Aaron Grey and Theresa Ryan belong to Kevin Matsumoto. No infringement on any of their rights is intended. The characters of Derek LaShalle and Mariah as well as others you've never heard of are my own creation and belong to me. Direct comments, praise, flames etc. to ---- xoemac@earthlink.net

PORT CHARLES BY NIGHT: OBSESSION

A General Hospital-Highlander-Forever Knight crossover.

by James Spencer

Second in the series.

PROLOGUE

An underground parking garage, Port Charles, New York.

The clash of steel echoed through the garage as the two men lashed at each other. Attacks, parries, lunges and counters. The brutal violence seemed almost artistic. Eric Regan was fighting for his life. He didn't want this.... all he wanted was to go home after a long day of work when this man challenged him. Now he was only minutes away from death and he knew it.

The dueling men strained against each other. Face to face their swords sparked with electricity at each contact. Catching Regan by surprise as he lunged, his opponent stepped back and Regan stumbled forward off balance. His opponent spun around, his sword slicing open Regan's back. He fell to his knees as his foe stood over him victorious.

"Who...are...you?" Regan asked gasping for breath.

"Does it really matter?" the man said as he raised his sword.

*~*

Police Commissioner's office.

Mac Scorpio sat at his desk while Felecia Jones looked over his shoulder at the file he was reading. On the tab were the words "Ardanowski, Venus." Mac sighed he waited for Felecia to read the last page then closed the file.

"That's it." Mac sighed again. "V checks out. Not a gap anywhere."

Felecia returns to the chair in front of the desk and sits down. "It doesn't explain how she knows Aaron Grey. Before he moved to Toronto he spent years in Paris and traveling around Europe. When did she meet him? According to the file she has never left the country until recently. And lets not forget to mention that 'Daddy' remark."

"Unfortunately that's not the only question we're left with." Mac says looking at her. "Everything we've been able to find on Aaron Grey or his wife doesn't go back any further than fifteen years or so." Mac rubs his temples feeling a headache coming on.

The door to his office swings open and in walks that headache followed by a flustered secretary. Mac signals her that everything's okay and she leaves the office.

"What do you want Jax?" Mac asks mildly annoyed.

"We need to talk Mac," he replies. "about Aaron Grey."

*~*

The dance club Nightshade.

The club was packed, as it was almost every night. Since it opened a few years ago it has remained one of Port Charles' hottest nightspots. Club goers crowded the dance floor, the music from the stereo system making the very walls shake. Those not dancing sat drinking at the bar or sat at one the tables, or in one of the many booths that lined the walls, with friends. Tucked away near the back wall of the club were several such booths, these were reserved for special patrons. In one of them, the one nearest the office in the corner, sat four of those special guests.

Sitting with her back against the wall was an attractive woman with long red hair, clear blue eyes and creamy skin. Her name was Theresa Ryan and to the average person she looked not that much older than most of the other club goers. She was in fact over two thousand years old. A two thousand year old vampire to be precise. 

It had taken many years but she eventually came to some kind of peace with what she was. A creature condemned to live only in the hours between dusk and dawn, feeding on any innocent human who had the misfortune to cross her path. But that was along time ago, she had changed a great deal over the centuries, so much in fact that she no longer felt she had any connection to the woman she was then. 

Altough delicate looking in appearance she possessed a strength and a power that one could almost feel. The younger ones certainly felt it when she came into the club, the ocean of bodies parted like the Red Sea when she approached, but one didn't get the message. He stood directly in Terry's path and refused to move almost daring her to move him. She didn't have to, one quick look into her eyes told him this was very bad mistake. He stepped to the side and allowed her to pass and then slinked off to the opposite side of the room hoping not to be noticed.

Across from Terry sat Aaron Grey, her husband of over nine hundred and fifty years. Aaron was an Immortal, twenty-two hundred years ago he was the son of a Roman general and a soldier in the emperor's army and for a thousand years after his first death that's all he was, a soldier looking for a war. 

But that changed when he met a young orphan girl, he took her in and raised her and when she became a beautiful young woman she surprised Aaron by telling him that she loved him. He should have known it wouldn't last and it didn't. When she was killed in a riding accident a year later his world collapsed, he went insane and for the next hundred years he went after any Immortal he could find hoping that one will finally put an end to his misery. 

He wanted to die but he wasn't willing to just surrender to death. That's when he met Terry and his life changed completely. She's the better part of him, the part that makes him feel alive again and he knows that should anything ever happen to her he won't fight death again, he will surrender.

Next to Aaron sat a good-looking man with jet-black hair. He name is Derek LaShalle. Any of the regulars listening to their conversation would be shocked by Derek's manner. He had a personality in private that was a complete opposite of his public one. 

Derek is the leader of the Enforcers in Port Charles, a group of vampire "cops" you can say whose sole purpose is to protect the Community from danger --- dangers from without and dangers from within -- and to do so effectively he has to illicit fear and respect from the others at all times. But when he is alone with close friends or confidants the public mask of menace and intimidation gives way to a somewhat good natured and courteous individual.

Across from Derek and next to Terry sat an exotic looking woman with long braided blonde hair. Her name is Mariah and Nightshade was her place. She is a few years younger than Terry and courted a great deal of respect in the Community, not to mention a great deal of fear as well. 

She could be curt at times. Her opinions on matters were usually brutally honest and to the point. Her opinions of mortals were unkind to say the least, while she has nothing personally against them, she doesn't much care for them either. At least most of them anyway. There have been a few over the years who have endeared themselves to her but she would rarely speak of them to others except for close friends. 

She had opened Nightshade as a refuge for others of her kind, a safe place in a dangerous world. Everyone is welcome so long as they obey the rules of refuge and don't touch the guests, well not the paying guests at least..

The four old friends sat laughing and drinking catching up on old times. Aaron was nursing a bottle of beer while the others were sharing a bottle of the house special. Not one of them noticed the man at the far end of the bar watching them. Finishing his glass of the house's own he turned to leave. **Soon Theresa. Soon we will be together again.**

CHAPTER ONE

The underground parking garage, Around 4am.

Newly promoted Lieutenant Alex Garcia bent down to take another look at the body lying on the floor of the garage. The head had apparently been severed from the body and was currently lying a few feet from the rest of him staring sightlessly upward at the ceiling.

"What do you think the cause of death was?"

Garcia turned to face Detective Taggert. "That's not funny Marcus."

"Sorry, defense mechanism. It keeps me from puking all over my shoes." Taggert said apologetically while moving closer to the body. "Looks like we got victim number two." He said reminding Garcia about the headless corpse fished from the river a few weeks earlier.

Garcia was about to say something when one of the officers shouted his name. "Lieutenant Garcia! Over Here!"

Alex turned toward one of the uniforms that had been searching the garage. Going over to her he asked. "What is it?"

"I think it's the murder weapon." The young officer pointed to a three-foot long sword lying under the front end of a car near the back wall.

He bent down to pick up the sword. Taking a handkerchief from his pocket he picked it up by the blade gently handing it to an officer wearing rubber gloves. "Bag it." He said and then walked over to Taggert who was watching the ME take the body away.

*~*

Kelly's, later that morning.

V Ardanowski walked into Kelly's. She was wearing sweats and carrying a long wooden case with her. She spotted Robin Scorpio sitting at a table having breakfast and joins her. "Morning Robin." She said as she slid her case under the table.

"Good Morning." Robin smiled back. "Where are you headed? The gym?" She asked noticing V's attire.

"No. I thought I'd swing by the practice hall for a quick workout. It's been a while since I've had anyone to spar with." She took a drink of the orange juice that she had ordered. "What about you. What have you got planned for today?" She asked setting her glass down.

"I've got an appointment at GH later this afternoon but other than that I'm free."

"Why don't you come with me then. You haven't seen the practice hall yet have you?" Robin shakes her head no. "Good then you can come with." V got up from her chair grabbed her case and led Robin out of the door.

Robin and V entered the building. This place had once been a dojo, but when the economy went sour in the late eighties it and a dozen other businesses on the docks closed. It was now completely bare of any equipment or furniture expect for a couple of small couches at the far end of the room. They sat in a little alcove next to the freight-type elevator. Heavy metal shutters covered every window in the room.

The women entered to the sound of clashing swords. Robin saw a man, his back to her, drive Brenda back against the wall. Both of them had swords but it was obvious to anyone who was the better of the two.

Brenda shifted her grip on her sword and made a low feint trying to drop him off his guard. When he dropped his sword to block the cut, she quickly brought her blade up high instead to strike. That move brought a smile to her lips. But her opponent made a fast binding move that knocked her sword from her hands. Closing her eyes she could hear the blade cutting the air as it headed for her neck. She felt the cold steel touch her throat and then heard him whisper. "Remember if your head comes away from your shoulders it's over."

"God Dammit, Aaron!" She opened her eyes and looked into Aaron's grinning face.

"Not bad Brenda." Aaron said as picked up her sword from the floor and handed it back to her. "You've come a long way. I'm amazed at how much you've learned in just the last few weeks. Another month or three and you'll be able to face the world with confidence."

"She's a lot better than I was when I started Daddy." V said making her and Robin's presence known. Both Brenda and Aaron turned.

"Yes she is." He said while handing Brenda a towel and a bottle of water. He turned back to V. "But then she's not a spoiled snot-nosed brat either."

V playfully swats Aaron as she and Robin move over to one of the couches and sat down. Brenda sat next to Robin wiping the sweat from her face and taking a long sip of water while staring at the sword in her hand. Aaron sat next V and watched Brenda for a moment then spoke. "So are you going to ask the question or not?"

"What question?" she asked.

"The question every Immortal asks sooner or later." Aaron looked steadily at her. "What happens if in the end it's just you and me?"

Brenda looked strickened for a moment. She gathered her composure and answered. "I don't know."

Aaron smiled. "That's the answer my teacher gave me. That's the answer I give all my students. I'd like to think I'd have the strength not to fight, to lay down my sword. But I don't know." Distracted by a noise behind him Aaron turned around to see his wife. "Hey love. I though you we're sleeping."

"I was, but I got lonely." She walked up to him and slid her arms around him. Giving him a quick kiss she looked at the others. She smiled at Brenda and Robin. "Good morning Venus" she said to her adopted daughter.

"Hi M....Terry" She barely caught herself. Brenda didn't know about Terry and there was no reason to tell her until it became necessary. She just hoped Brenda didn't notice her little slip of the tongue.

Brenda and Robin got up to leave. As they turned to go Aaron called out. "Brenda! Wait I almost forgot...this is for you." He pulled out a long thin wooden carrying case exquisitely carved with oriental characters. He handed it Brenda.

"What is it?" she asked as she opened the box. "It's a sword." she said surprised as she pulled out a katana.

Aaron looked at her. "Not just any sword. A Masramuni."

"A what?"

"A Masramuni" V broke in. "One of the finest swords ever made. In fact they aren't so much swords as works of art."

"Why?" Robin inquired.

It was Aaron who answered. "Masramuni was a Japanese swordsmith in the late 12th and early 13th centuries. The weapons he created were centuries ahead of their time." He took the katana from Brenda and placed it back in its case and closed the lid. He handed the case to Brenda. "It's a fine weapon. Take care of it, make it a part of you."

Brenda looked at her teacher. "Thank you Aaron. I will." She and Robin then left. Outside the building Brenda placed her new sword in the backseat of her car and then she and Robin drove away. Neither one noticed the man across the street taking pictures.

*~*

A house outside Port Charles.

Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the boarded up windows illuminating the otherwise darkened room. He sat alone in a chair staring intently at the painting hanging on the wall before him.

It was a portrait of a woman in an ornate 17th century dress. She had long flowing red hair and was smiling seductively from the canvas. It was a portrait of Terry.

CHAPTER TWO

The Hardy residence, The next day.

Lucky Spencer sat at the computer typing while Liz Webber stood hovering over him. She was feeling a little uneasy about what he was doing. Breaking into the school's computer was one thing, but this, this was so not legal. Lucky just hacked into the police mainframe and was now trying to find some more background information on Mr. Murty, anything that might help them prove that he was the man who assaulted her. She kind of half-hoped that she was wrong about him because the thought that he had been able to see her everyday since it happened and gloat to himself about what he had done to her made her sick to her stomach. "That's weird." The sound of Lucky's voice brought Liz back to the moment.

"What's weird?" she asked him.

"I've found a copy of Mr. Murty's birth records. It says that Murty was born April 9, 1965 in Syracuse, New York." Liz bent down a little closer to look at the screen, her proximity distracting Lucky a little as he looked at her face and smelled the scented shampoo she uses on her hair. Regaining his composure he continued. "uh...that's not the only thing. There's also a record of his death too. It says that Mr. Murty died eight days later."

Liz backed away from the desk Lucky turning in his chair following her movements. She sat on the edge of her bed. "So he's using the name of a baby who died almost 35 years ago." Confused she looked at Lucky, "But if he isn't really Mr Murty..." she began.

"...Who the hell is he?" Lucky finished.

*~*

PCPD, Lieutenant Garcia's office.

Alex Garcia sat at his desk going over the coroner's report on the body found beheaded the previous night with Mac. "The tests came back negative. No drugs, no alcohol. No other injuries to the body. The cause of death was decapitation." Turning to the next page of the report he continued. "Forensics found something unusual though."

"What was it?" Mac asked as he handed Alex a cup of coffee.

"You know that sword we brought in. It turns out that it's not the murder weapon." He showed Mac the report. "Their tests found minute traces of blood on the blade but it's not the victim's."

"What about that sword?"

"Forensics said its finely crafted blade, razor sharp and it's at least a couple of hundred years old."

"An antique?" Mac thought to himself for a moment. "What about the victim? Anything on him?"

Garcia grabs his notes. "His name was Eric Regan, he was a lawyer for one the big firms in town. He moved to Port Charles from New York City about four years ago. Not married, no family and he lived alone. His co-workers all say that he was a nice guy who didn't have an enemy in the world."

"He had at least one enemy." Mac corrected him. "Keep digging Alex. Check out his current and past client list and have someone look into his time in New York."

"I've got somebody on that already."

"Good. Is forensics finished with that sword?" Garcia says yes. "I think I know someone who can tell me a little more about it." **And a little more about himself if I'm lucky.** Mac thought as left the office letting Garcia get back to work.

*~*

The Quartermaine residence.

Emily Bowen Quatermaine walked into house. She started for the living room but stopped. Even the through the thick wooden doors she could hear them arguing. Again. Alan and Monica, Alan and Edward or AJ and Ned. It didn't matter who it was because it was always the same stupid fights over and over again only the voices and the decibels changed. **I don't need this.** Emily thought to herself, so she started up the stairs toward her room.

Entering her bedroom Emily felt relaxed for first time all day. It had been of those days at school. They were talking and whispering about her again. The kidnapping of Michael, the trial of Tony Jones and Carly's arrest for shooting him after he got off with a slap on the wrist. But that's not what put her in such a funk, she's a Quartermaine and that means people are going to talk. 

No the reason for her mood was more specific, a specific person to be exact. The oh-so-perfect Miss Sarah Webber. God she was really starting to make her sick, **Nobody could be that sweet.**, it's not enough that she had Lucky panting over her, **Thank god he got over it.**, but she had turned the brooding Nikolas Cassadine into a lovestruck doofus and in their conversations of late Sarah was constantly whining about why did Nik break up with her. **Maybe he's diabetic.** Emily was almost certain that it was Sarah who arranged for her to be barred by her parents from helping Nikolas regain his speech. She seemed threatened by her friendship with him for some reason. But it backfired on her didn't it. Instead of coming to her for help Nik got it from Robin Scorpio and now he was completely infatuated with her. 

Emily wasn't going to think anymore about the rumors, the whispers, the stares, the fights or little miss perfect. She walked to her closet and pulled out a black mini-dress she held it in front in her and looked in the full-length mirror hanging on the door. She wasn't going to think about anyone else. It was Friday night and she was going out.

*~*

Aaron and Theresa's loft above the practice hall.

A loud knocking on the door woke Aaron from his semi-peaceful slumber. **If that's another damn....** He turned over to look at Terry to she if she was still asleep. He got out of bed and pulled on a pair of jeans then headed to the door to see who it was. Opening it he was surprised who his visitor was. 

"Mr Grey, I'm Police Commissioner Mac Scorpio. I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions."

CHAPTER THREE

Brenda's house, Late afternoon.

Brenda had just gotten back from her run. She winced slightly as her sore muscles complained. Ever since she had found out she was Immortal she had spent nearly every free minute fencing with Aaron or working out at the gym on her own. Her body wasn't used to this kind of strain and it told her so. Or did for a while at least, in no time at all the soreness will be gone and she'll be ready to start it all over again. She had to admit though all this exercise was having a definite effect on her body. Gone was the last of her babyfat and her muscle tone was becoming leaner and more defined.

Brenda got a bottle of water from the kitchen and sat down on the couch. The case that held her sword was on the table in front of her. She opened it and ran her index finger down the blade. **Can I do this?** She asked herself. It was one thing to talk about killing someone, but to actually do it. It wasn't just the idea of taking someone's life that bothered her. It was the whole package. Knowing that she's going to outlive everyone she knows, they're going to grow old and she isn't. Knowing that in just a few short years she's going to have to leave Port Charles, leave everyone she's come to care about before someone notices that she isn't getting any older.

She was glad she had to Robin here with her. If she didn't have her little sister to help sort this whole thing out she probably would have gone crazy by now. But she couldn't help but be a little sad about the situation. **Why Me? Why not her? Why am I going to live forever and not Robin?** Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Robin coming down the stairs.

Taking a look at her friend Robin laughs. "Can you walk yet or do you need me to help you get around again?"

Brenda started laughing too. "I'm fine. Almost as good as new."

Robin sat down next to her and snatched the water bottle from Brenda's hand and took a drink. "So, when is Jax supposed to get back?"

Brenda took the water back from Robin. "The day after tomorrow I think."

"How's the plan to get him back coming."

"The plan is on hold...for now." Brenda said a little disappointed. "I've got other things to worry about at the moment. Like staying alive." Robin started to giggle. "Hey! I said it was on hold. I'm not giving up yet. I am going to get him back."

"But you don't have him yet, do you? So that means you're free tonight." Robin got up and grabbed Brenda's arm and pulled her off the couch. "So you march right upstairs and put on the best dress you can find because we are going out. But first you need to take a shower because girl you stink." Robin held her nose and Brenda started laughing. The two women walked arm and arm up the stairs still laughing.

*~*

Aaron and Terry's.

Mac sat on the couch while Detective Taggert walked around the living room studying it. Aaron came into the room, he had left for a moment to go and put a shirt on. "Now what exactly can I do for you Commissioner?" Aaron sat directly in front of Mac and stared into his eyes.

"We've never actually met but I have heard some things about you from my niece Robin." Mac said unaffected by Aaron's intense gaze. "That's one of the reasons I decided to come to you with this." Signaling to Taggert, Mac held out his hand for the sword they brought with them. "Robin said that you used to deal in antiques. I was wondering what can tell me about this." He laid the sword on the table in front of Aaron.

"It's a sword." Aaron said flatly.

"Yeah well we know that," Taggert said. "What else can you tell us about it?"

Aaron sighed and picked it up. "May I?" he said before opening the plastic the sword was wrapped in. Mac and Taggert watched as he examined the blade for a few moments and then set it back down. "It's a Toledo."

"Toledo?" Mac inquired.

"A Toledo Salamanca." Aaron explained. "One of the finest swords ever made. They're very rare and worth a small fortune. I wish I could tell you more, but I don't usually deal in exotic weapons. I can tell that whoever this belongs to is a very rich man."

"Yeah well not any more." Taggert said moving behind him. "The man who owns this sword was murdered the other night. Do you know a man named Eric Regan?"

"No I don't."

"Where's your wife at Mr Grey?" Taggert asks changing the subject.

"My wife?" Aaron says momentarily confused by his interest. "My wife is asleep and I'd appreciate it if you kept your voice down Detective. I don't want you waking her up."

"Perhaps your wife knows Eric Regan." Taggert says trying to push Aaron.

"No. She doesn't."

"Are you sure. I mean wives have all kinds of friends they're husbands don't know about."

Aaron was about to say something when Mac got up and spoke. "Thank you Mr Grey for your help." He looked at Taggert who picked up the sword and started for the door. "I'm sorry if we disturbed you."

"Not at all Commissioner. I'm glad I could be of assistance." He closed the door behind them and leaned against it. Running his hand over his beard he thought. **What the hell was that about?!?**

*~*

An abandoned factory, Dusk.

The two figures danced and weaved as each attempted to inflict a fatal blow on the other. Finally one of them made a mistake, her blade came up a little too far and a little too fast. The other smiled as his opponent stumbled off balance and he quickly took advantage. He made a couple of fast cuts and his foe slumped to one knee. Drawing back the sword he intoned, "There can be only one." and brought the weapon down in a two handed stroke.

Inside the building a lightning storm erupted. The man screamed as the power assaulted him and he fell to his knees. Then as suddenly as it started it was over. He pulled himself up and began to brush off his clothes. Running his hands through his hair Mr. Murty left the building.

CHAPTER FOUR

Nightshade, that evening.

Mariah sat at the bar having a glass of the house's own and smoking a cigarette. It was early yet but the club was already starting to filling up. She saw Emily Quartermaine come in and waved her over. Emily had been coming to Nightshade for well over a year. Sometimes with friends, sometimes by herself and after a couple months Mariah decided to introduce herself to her. Mariah's opinion of mortals was well known among the others but there was something about this girl she couldn't help but like. Now no matter how busy the club was Mariah always made time for her and Emily to talk during her visits.

"Hello Emily." Mariah said in an accent that Emily couldn't place. It was definitely European but she just couldn't pindown from where. "Don't you look lovely this evening. Let me see." She got up from the bar to get a better look at Emily's outfit. She wore a black mini-dress with black stockings and heels, over the dress she was wearing a black leather jacket that once belonged to her brother Jason. The only bit of color was her red lipstick. "Very nice." She said kissing Emily's cheeks.

"Thanks." Emily said sitting on a stool next to Mariah. The bartender placed a club soda in front of her without her even ordering it. "The place is going to be packed tonight." She said taking a sip of her drink and looking around the club.

"Yes. It's going to be a very good night." Mariah said sipping her own drink. "Now tell me. How are you doing?" For the next hour she and Emily talked while the club filled up and came to life around them. Mariah listened as Emily told her what crisis the family was involved in this week and Emily listened as Mariah complained about liquor deliveries and health inspections.

Brenda and Robin walked into the club. Although it's been open for a few years neither one can remember ever coming here before. They looked around the room. The dance floor was packed, music blaring from the sound system. They spotted Emily sitting at the bar with an exotic-looking woman. Emily had just started laughing when the girls approached.

Seeing Mariah look over her shoulder, Emily turned around. "Robin! Brenda!" she cried as she got off her stool and the three women hugged. "You guys, there's someone I want you to meet." She turned back around to Mariah. "Robin, Brenda, this is Mariah. She owns this place."

Across the room in one the back booths a dark man watches the scene. **Careless, careless. Allowing your kittens stray.**

Mariah takes Robin's and Brenda's hands in turn. "Good evening, ladies. Welcome to Nightshade. I certainly hope you will have a enjoyable evening."

"Don't worry. In this place how could anyone not have a good time." Brenda said.

Mariah was about to say something when a young woman with blonde hair came up to her. "Yes Traci, what is it?"

Traci moved closer to Mariah so the others couldn't hear. Turning her head to look over Her assistant's shoulder Mariah's face went hard and she whispered into Traci's ear. "Find Derek." Turning her attention back to Emily and her friends Mariah said, "I'm sorry but I have a minor problem that needs fixing." She got up off her stool. "Emily don't forget to say goodbye before you leave." Then she went in back to deal with an unwanted guest.

She walked up to the dark man in the booth. Her face filled with scorn and disgust. "You are not wanted here. Leave."

"Or what?" the man said.

"Or I'll make you leave." The man at looked up and saw Derek and two Enforcers standing before him. He could see the rage rising within Derek. "You are not going to be asked again."

Deciding now was not the time for a confrontation the man got up to leave. As he started walking toward the door Derek grabbed his shoulder. "Remember this. If you ever come back here again. You won't walk out." Derek tightened his grip. "Do you hear me Aris?"

"I hear you Derek."

Mariah and Derek watched as the two Enforcers escorted Aris out of the club. Mariah turned to Derek. "What the hell is that bastard doing here?" She asked getting angrier by the second her eyes turning gold.

"We both know why he's here." Derek said placing his hands on Mariah's shoulders trying to calm her down. Sitting her down in one the booths he watched as she slowly calmed down, her eyes changing back to their normal blue. "I think you should tell Terry." Mariah looked at him. "She has to know that Aris is in Port Charles."

"I know, you're right. She should know." She got up and started for her office. "Maybe this time she'll take care of him for good. She should have killed that son of a bitch two hundred years ago." she said as the office door closed behind her.

Emily walked to Mariah's office. She was about to knock when Derek stopped her. "Can I help you?" he said to her. She turned to him and he came face to face with a rather attractive young woman with long brown hair and brown eyes. "Is there something you need?" He asked trying not to stare at her.

"No...I...just", Emily stammered while looking at the tall man with dark hair. **He's gorgeous.** She regained her composure a few seconds later and hoped that he didn't notice that she was staring at him. "I just wanted say goodbye to Mariah. I'm leaving now."

"I'm sorry but she's on the phone now and can't be disturbed but I'll be sure to tell her Miss....."

"Quatermaine. Emily Quartermaine. Thanks." She said as she walked away.

**My pleasure Emily Quatermaine.** Derek's thoughts were interrupted by Mariah coming out of her office. "Did you tell her?"

"Yes. They're on their way over now." She sat down and signaled for a drink. She lit a cigarette and blew smoke into the air. **All hell is about to break loose.** She thought taking another drag.

CHAPTER FIVE

Mariah's office at Nightshade, a short while later.

"Dammit Derek! How could you let that son of a bitch just walk out of here!" Aaron said angrily to Derek his rage growing.

"Don't raise your voice to me Aaron!" Derek said the anger in his own voice rising. "You may not be one of us but you know the rules of refuge as well as we do!"

Terry decided she had better step in before the friends come to blows. "Enough! Both of you!" The two men look at her. "We have enough to worry about without adding you two to the list. We need to sit down and talk about this rationally."

"How in the name of hell can you be so calm!" Aaron said to his wife in disbelief. "That's Aris walking around out there."

"I know who it is." Terry said taking her husband's hands. "I also know that if all he wanted to do was kill me he would have done it by now."

"And that's supposed to make me feel better?" Aaron said sarcastically.

Terry touched a hand to her husband's cheek and turned to Derek. "Any idea where Aris is now?"

"I have people searching for him." Derek answered. "If he's hiding anywhere in the city my Enforcers will find him."

"Before or after he kills someone." Aaron says flatly.

"Aaron..." Derek starts but Aaron interrupts him. "I'm sorry Derek. I don't mean to take this out on you. I know you're doing everything you can."

Derek walks over to him and places a hand on his shoulder. "Forget about it, my old friend. I understand." He turns and walks to the door. "I'm going to go see what my people have turned up so far."

After Derek leaves Terry gets up and starts pacing the room. "I think we should tell Venus."

"No."

She stops pacing and stands in front of Aaron. "Why not? Don't you think she has right to know that he's here."

"No she doesn't." Aaron stands up to face his wife and grabs her by the shoulders. "And you know why. We both know exactly what she'll do if she finds out that Aris is in Port Charles." Aaron pulls Terry close and she rests her head on his chest. "Why don't we go home, love. I don't think there's anything more we can do tonight." Terry nods and the couple come out the office and makes their good-byes to Mariah as leave the club.

*~*

The docks.

Liz was pacing back and forth by the bench. **Come on Lucky hurry up.** A sound from behind startles her. **It was probably a cat or something.** Liz screams as a hand touches her from behind. Turning around she sees him...it's Mr Murty.

"I'm sorry Liz. I didn't mean to scare you." he says innocently.

"Tha... That's... That's okay." Liz said trying desperately not to panic.

Studing her for a moment Murty sees the fear and panic in her eyes and comes to a decision. "You know don't you." Liz's heart almost stops. "Yes. You know. I can see it in your eyes." Liz tries to scream tears starting to run down her cheeks as his hand touches her face but no sound will come out. "You're such a special girl Elizabeth. I'm really disappointed." His hand moves into her hair. "I thought we going to have some more fun before the end." Suddenly Murty stiffens sensing a presence nearby.

"Is there a problem here?"

Liz sees Murty smile. "Now there's a voice from the past." He takes his hand away from Liz who is still too terrified to run and turns around to see someone he thought he'd never have the chance to see again. "Talk about a small world."

"Maloch." Aaron whispers.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

__

Paris, 1899.

Leaving the flower stand with his roses Aaron places a coin in the small hands of the vendor's daughter and turns and heads back to the hotel. He walks briskly through the city's streets wanting to get back before Terry wakes up. Taking a short cut along one of the back streets he hears a girl scream. Scanning the area he pinpoints where it's coming from. Coming up to the alley he feels it. **Damn.** He sees the girl lying on the ground crying, blood dripping from her mouth. He approaches the man standing over her. His hand moves to the sword in his coat. "Back away from her." He commands.

"Stay out of this." The man replies. "I paid good money for her. She's mine to do with as I please."

"No. She's not." 

The man hears Aaron pull his sword from it's sheath and turns to face him. Staring menacingly at him he pulls his own sword and introduces himself. "I am Anton Maloch and you are dead."

"Alec Resharde."

The two men advanced on each other. Aaron didn't want to kill him, not yet, his only concern was getting the girl away from here. The two of them cut at each other for several moments, then Aaron finished it with a sudden thrust into Maloch's heart. 

Leaving his sword in Maloch's heart he walks over the frightened girl. Helping her up he wraps his coat around her. As they leave the alley he shields the girl's eyes as he pulls the sword from Maloch's heart and holds it for a moment at the man's throat. "Some other time Maloch." He walks off with the girl who is still crying.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Still picking on little girls I see. What's the matter Maloch, grown women put up too much of a fight?"

Liz slowly backs away from Murty and towards Aaron and Terry as he speaks. "Still sticking your nose in where it doesn't belong Resharde?"

"I'm funny that way." When Liz reaches Terry, who puts her arms around the frightened girl, Aaron steps forward and confronts Murty. "Whenever I see a man force himself on a child I just have to do something about it."

"Not this time." Murty says staring directly into Aaron eyes. "This one is special Resharde." He turns his head to Liz. "So beautiful. So innocent. So much wonderful fear."

"You really are a sick bastard. I should have killed you in Paris."

"Yes. You should have." Murty says his attention focused on Aaron again. "And that's a mistake you are going to regret." For a split second Aaron thought the man was going to attack, but he was surprised when Murty started to back away. "But not now. Our little dance will have to wait." He looks at Liz and blows her a kiss. "Good night, Elizabeth. I guess we'll have to finish our business..... later."

Aaron watches Murty disappear into the darkness and goes over Terry. Liz is now sobbing uncontrollably in Terry's arms. "It's okay. Shhhhh..... It's all right." She whispers to Liz.

CHAPTER SIX

Aaron and Terry's, just before dawn.

Aaron sits alone in the dark. They got home about an hour after dropping Liz off at her house. It took some convincing from them to get her to believe that she was in no immediate danger. But with a little help from Terry, **God bless the Whammy.**, they managed it. She relaxed visibly (a little more help from Terry) when Aaron promised her that Murty would never hurt her or anyone again.

He finishes his drink and gets up to pour another one when a voice comes from behind. "Aaron come to bed." He looked over his shoulder at her. She was wearing a black nightgown and her hair was down, flowing over her shoulders and down her back. Walking to her husband she wraps her arms around his waist. "What's wrong love?"

"What's wrong?" Aaron almost laughs. "Where should I start? Let's see. We've got Aris out there somewhere waiting for right time to make his move and it's just a matter of time before Venus finds out about him and freaks. We've got Maloch...or Murty...or whatever the hell he's calling himself stalking some poor highschool girl. Mac Scorpio is starting to nose around and don't even get me started on that Jax guy."

"Poor baby." Terry's voice was teasing.

"Don't make fun of me."

"I'm not making fun." She takes his hand and leads him back to the bedroom. "Look. We'll stop Aris. We'll stop Maloch. And as for Mac Scorpio, well, we'll sick Robin on him." Aaron laughs as Terry pulls him down on the bed.

*~*

Mac's office.

Morning.

Mac is sitting at his desk going over the report of another headless body found. **Victim 3 and counting.** Felecia sat in a chair in front of his desk, waiting patiently for him to stop reading. She had just returned from a short trip to Texas with her girls. Finally Mac closed the file and sighed audibly.

"Something wrong?" Felecia asked.

"No. It's just this case." Mac told her. He got up and hugged her. "Welcome back."

"Thanks." She said returning the embrace and then sat back down. "So anything new on the mysterious Mr. Grey?"

"Nope nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Nothing." Mac said frustrated. "We've got info on him from Toronto and Paris but before that the information gets spotty at best and in most cases no information at all."

"There has to something somewhere." Felecia gets up and starts pacing the room.

"I paid him a visit the other day."

Felecia stops when she hears this and looks at him. "What did you make of him?"

"He seemed nice enough, but....." Felecia looks puzzled. "I mean this guy comes to town for what is supposed to be a short visit and ends up buying an abandoned dojo and moves in. He has a wife that no one except Robin and Brenda has met, who doesn't go out during the day because of some strange skin disease."

"What disease?" Felecia asks curiously.

"Robin mentioned it. What did she call it?" Mac thought for a moment trying to remember. "Py.... Pyri.... Pyrophia I think she said."

"Did you see her when you met him?"

"No. Her husband she was sleeping."

"Sleeping?"

"That's what he said."

Felecia rubs her hands together and stands up. "So what do we do now?" Mac shrugs his shoulders. "What about V? Do you still want her to work for you?"

"She hasn't done anything wrong. I can't offer her a job and then take it away because she didn't tell us that she knew some guy who came to town. Besides...," Mac says returning to his desk. "...She's a damn good detective. What are you going to do?"

Felecia picks up her purse. "I think I'll pay Mr. and Mrs. Grey a visit. We've hit a dead end on the information front so why don't we try and get some from the source."

*~*

Brenda's house.

Brenda and Robin we're eating breakfast when the doorbell rang. Robin got up to answer it. She opens the door and lets the visitor in. "Hello, Brenda." Brenda looks up in surprise and screams as she runs to the man. "Jax!"

CHAPTER SEVEN

Brenda's.

Jax sits on the couch alone waiting for Brenda to finish getting ready. Robin has already left to meet Aaron. Jax spots a box he's never seen before standing in the corner. It is almost three feet long and covered with oriental characters. Picking it up he sets it down on the coffee table. He opens the box just as Brenda comes down the stairs. "Brenda, what is this?"

Brenda looks at him trying to think of what to tell him. "It's a gift from a friend."

"A gift?!?" Jax says in amazement. "Do you have any idea what this is?"

"Yes. Its....." Brenda starts but Jax cuts her off.

"Its a Masramuni katana." Jax says while Brenda tries to look as if she didn't know. "Do you have any idea how rare these are and how much they're worth?" Brenda shrugs her shoulders no. "Only about a million dollars."

Brenda whistles. She knew her sword was valuable but she had no idea. Jax takes the sword out. Brenda flinches slightly as he touches the blade leaving fingerprints down its entire length. **I'm going to have to polish it again tonight.** She relaxes when he puts it back in it's case. Brenda takes it from him and shocks Jax when she puts in the closet.

"Brenda, you aren't going to leave a million dollars in a closet are you?"

"Yeah!" Is all she says as she walks out the door.

Jax follows her but takes another look at the closet. He's not thinking of where Brenda got it, he already has a good idea who gave it to her. No the question he's asking himself is where did Aaron Grey get it from. Jax has spent years trying to purchase a Masramuni, but he's never been able to find someone who was willing to part with theirs. But this Aaron Grey just gave one away to a woman he has known for a little over a month.

*~*

Mr Murty's apartment.

Murty is sitting indian style in the middle of the floor in deep meditation, his sword lying in front of him. Candles and incense burning throughout the room. It is a sparsely furnished one-room apartment. There is no television, no radio, and no telephone. He continues his deep breathing.

The walls of the apartment are covered with photographs, hundreds of them. All pictures of girls from Port Charles High. There are pictures of the cheerleading squad, the swim team and all of the other sports. There are photos of individuals like Sarah Webber and Emily Quartermaine and their friends. On the wall directly in front of Murty there are dozens of pictures of the same girl. Liz Webber.

*~*

Aaron and Terry's.

Terry stretches as she gets up from her computer to answer the door. She opens it being careful to remain behind the thick wooden door and out of the sun. "Yes. Can I help you?" She says to the woman standing there.

"My name is Felecia Jones. I'm a friend of Robin's." She says as Terry motions her inside and closes the door behind her. Felecia studies the woman before. She's small only a few inches taller than Robin wearing a Queen t-shirt and blue jeans and no shoes. "I hope I'm not bothering you. I just thought it was past time for us to meet."

Terry smiled at Felecia knowing exactly why she was here (and who probably sent her.) Motioning for Felecia to take a seat she asked her if she would like some coffee. Terry walked to the kitchen and returned with two mugs and handed Felecia one. **I hope I didn't get them mixed up.** Terry sat down next to Felecia. "What can I do for you, Felecia? As if I didn't know."

Felecia swallowed. "I'm not sure what you mean."

Terry surprised Felecia by laughing. "Yes you do. Your little investigation has reached a dead end and so here you are." Felecia turned red. "There's no need to be embarrassed. It's not like your the first person to be curious about us. Although I must admit this is the first time we've had it coming from three fronts at once."

"It's not that we think you've done something, but you do realize there some holes in both your pasts. And with your work and some of the fans you have..."

"You wanted to make sure that Robin wasn't in any kind of danger." She took Felecia's hand. She was surprised by the coolness of Terry's skin. "Felecia, believe me, you have nothing to worry about." Terry could hear the sound of Felecia's heartbeat in her head. Felecia was staring into the smaller woman's blue eyes and slowly began to feel that maybe she and Mac were making something out of nothing. "Now ask me whatever you like."

For the next hour or so the women talked. Whenever Felecia asked her a question, Terry would answer and then ask one of Felecia in return. Despite coming here with ulterior motives Felecia found herself starting to like Terry. And Terry knowing that Felecia originally came here with some hope of worming some information about her past from her was starting to feel the same. By the end of the conversation both women had felt they had gained a new friend.

"So we'll meet at the Outback tomorrow night." Felecia said as Terry escorted her to the door.

"I can hardly wait." Terry had just shown Felecia out when the phone rang. "Hello..... Robin.... No he's already gone.... No you didn't wake me up.... Guess who just paid me a visit.... Felecia Jones.... No.... No.... I think she is nice.... She invited Aaron and I to dinner at the Outback.... Yes it would help a great deal if you were there too.... Thanks.... Bye." Hanging up the phone Terry walked to the kitchen she placed the coffee mugs in the sink and took a wineglass out of the cabinet. Taking a bottle out of the refrigerator she fills her glass with the dark liquid and takes a long sip. **It's going to be an interesting dinner.**

CHAPTER EIGHT

General Hospital.

Robin got off the elevator and walked to the nurse's station. Amy Vining was standing there entering something into the computer. "Hi Amy. Do know where Doctor Quatermaine is? He isn't in his office.

"Hey Robin. I'm sorry but he's at Mercy. Some emergency consultation. Do you want me to give him a message."

"No. That's okay. It wasn't important." Robin checks her watch. It was almost 1 o'clock and she and Aaron were supposed to meet Brenda and Jax the PC Grill for lunch. She walked over to the payphones and called the loft to make sure Aaron wasn't still asleep. Robin hangs up the phone when Aaron gets off the elevator behind her. She squeals when his hand touches her neck. "Don't do that!" She says while punching Aaron in the chest.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't resist" Aaron says barely containing his laughter. "You look so cute."

In spite of herself Robin starts laughing too as they walk back to the elevator. Aaron groans when Robin tells him of the dinner plans Terry made for them with Felecia. His lightens up when Robin says she'll be there as well to run interference.elevator doors open and out walks Nikolas Cassadine. He smiles when he sees Robin but it fades a little when spots Aaron standing with her with his arm around her shoulder. He steps forward. "Hello Robin."

"Nikolas!" Robin says excited. "How are you?"

"I'm fine." He says becoming increasingly uncomfortable in Aaron's presence. "How are you? I haven't seen you for a while."

"I know. I'm sorry." Robin apologizes. "But it's just been so crazy the last few weeks with Aaro...." Robin stops. "Oh my gosh! I haven't introduced you yet. Aaron this is Nikolas Cassadine." Aaron reaches his hand to Nikolas while Robin continues. "Nikolas this is Aaron Grey. He and his wife are friends I met while I was in Paris."

The two men shake hands and Aaron feels the young man relax at the mention of his wife. **Man, this kid has got it bad.** The three stand and talk for several minutes before Robin and Aaron decide they had better get going.

Stefan Cassadine is walking down the hallway when he spots Nikolas talking to Robin Scorpio and a tall man wearing a trenchcoat. Approaching a little closer he gets a good look at the man's face and stops suddenly. **Why is he here?**

*~*

Port Charles Grill.

Jax and Brenda are already seated when Robin and Aaron arrive for lunch. They make their orders and the waiter returns a short time later with their food. The four eat lunch and talk and while Robin and Brenda talk to each other Jax and Aaron eye each other suspiciously. After finishing desert Brenda and Robin excuse themselves leaving the men alone.

"So Mr Grey, what exactly is it that you do?" Jax asks after taking a drink of his coffee.

"A little bit of this and little bit of that Mr Jax." Aaron answers coyly.

Jax looks across the table at Aaron. He's done background checks on this man on three continents and everything he's found makes him believe that Aaron Grey is trouble and he wants him away from Brenda. Setting his cup down Jax's face grows hard. "Why don't we cut the games."

"I don't know what you mean."

"You know exactly what I mean." Jax says losing his temper. "I want to know what you're doing here." Aaron says nothing. "Why is it that everything I find out you about just makes me nervous? I want to know why you gave a sword worth over a million dollars to a woman you hardly know." Aaron is still silent. "What does your wife think of your expensive little gift to another woman." Jax sees Aaron stiffen slightly. **I've got him.** "I want to know what you want from Brenda and you are going to tell me."

"Is that all?" Aaron says barely containing his anger at Jax's mention of his wife.

"I'm not playing with you. You're going to tell me or......"

"Or what?" Aaron breaks in rising from his chair. So focused on each other neither man notices that Robin and Brenda have returned to the table. Aaron's intense gaze momentarily shakes Jax. Aaron turns and sees the women. Pulling money from his pocket he throws it on the table. Leaning over the table he looks into Jax's eyes. "Don't ever speak of my wife again." Aaron leaves the Grill followed by Robin.

Brenda walks to the table and shoots Jax a dirty look before walking out leaving Jax sitting alone. **Brilliant Jax. Real bloody smart.**

Robin is barely keeping up with Aaron as he walks. Finally he stops and Robin catches up. "Aaron are you alright?"

"No." He turns to Robin. "That ara...." He stops when Brenda walks up.

"Aaron, I'm sorry about Jax. He had no right to put you on the spot like that." She says trying to find an excuse when she knows there isn't one. "He can be a little over-protective sometimes."

"Brenda. I know how feel about this guy. But he's an ass."

CHAPTER NINE

Nightshade, That evening.

Emily walked into the club and headed for her usual stool and the end of the bar, the one next to Mariah's. But Mariah wasn't there tonight. Taking her club soda from the bartender she looked around the club for her. She sees the man she met the other night sitting alone in one of the back booths. Getting off her stool she walks over to him. "Hello again."

Derek looks up at the angel before him. "Hello Miss Quartermaine."

"Please call me Emily."

"Derek. Please sit." He motions her to the other seat.

"I hope I'm not disturbing you Derek." He shakes his no. "I was just wondering where Mariah was. I mean...." Emily starts to laugh. "...She's always here."

Derek laughs too. "It does seem that way doesn't it. She had a personel errand to run but she should be back soon." Derek stares at the young woman sitting across from him. "You're welcome to sit here and wait...with me."

"I'd like that."

Mariah heads to her office but stops when she sees Derek sitting with Emily Quartermaine. A half smile reaches her lips. **Oh, Derek. I hope you know what you're doing.**

*~*

Aris' place.

Aris sits in the chair staring at the painting of Terry. His work is almost complete. Everything he has ever dreamed of is on the verge coming true. **Soon my love. Just a little longer and we will be together again. Forever.**

*~*

The practice hall.

Brenda wanted to talk to Aaron again, to apologize again, about this afternoon. She was flattered that Jax was worried about her but he was way out of line earlier. She entered the hall and heard the sounds of clashing swords. For a moment she thought Aaron was sparring with V. She was surprised to see that it was Terry. 

For nearly ten minutes Brenda watched in amazement as the two almost danced around the hall. Terry was giving her husband a run for his money. **Where did she learn to fight like that?** She watched as Terry skillfully blocked and countered Aaron's moves. But then something happened that sent Brenda into shock.

Terry was making a countering move when she somehow mistimed her step and Aaron accidentally stabbed her in the stomach. Brenda watched in horror as she saw the tip of Aaron's sword come out of Terry's back.

Aaron immediately pulled his sword back and Terry cried out and fell to her knees. Aaron dropped his sword and knelt next to her. "Love? Oh God, I'm sorry."

Brenda ran up to them and surprised Aaron. "Aaron! Don't worry she'll be okay! We've got to call an ambulance and get her to a hospi......." The word stuck in Brenda's throat as Terry looked up at her. She backed away slowly when she saw Terry's eyes glowing red. "Oh my god."

CHAPTER TEN

Aaron and Terry's, a short while later.

Brenda sat on the couch staring at Terry. Next to her sat Robin whom Aaron had called earlier thinking Brenda might need a little support. Aaron handed her a cup of coffee as she listened and tried to absorb everything Terry was telling her about her past. When she had finished Brenda just sat there staring at the mug in her hand for several minutes. Finally she spoke. "Vampire.... You're a vampire."

"Yes I am."

Brenda exhaled sharply and sat back on the couch. "You know this actually explains a lot."

"Like what?" Aaron asks interested while handing Terry a wineglass.

"Like Terry not being able to go outside during the day." Brenda looks at Robin. "I never did believe that skin disease thing."

Terry starts laughing. "I know it's a lame story but a lot of people do believe it."

Brenda takes a drink from her cup, her eyes never leaving her friends. "How long have you two been married?"

"976 years." Aaron replied without thinking.

Brenda's eyes widened at the answer. "How did you meet?"

Aaron sits down next to Terry and takes her hand. "I was walking through the countryside on evening and saw four ruffians bothering a beautiful young maiden and me being the studly hero type..." Terry covers her mouth to keep from laughing. "...I decided to jump in to rescue the fair maiden. Of course what I didn't know at the time was that she was sizing those lads up for dinner."

Terry hits her husband in the stomach with a pillow from the couch. "That is not how it happened." She turns to Brenda. "Don't listen to him he's full of crap."

"Well tell me what really happened." Brenda listened as Terry told her tale.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

__

Ireland 1020

A group of Norsemen had attacked a village she had taken as her own. She protected the villagers during the night and they in turn protected her during the day. The soldiers had killed everyone in the village while she was sleeping. She was all ready to take he revenge on four of them when a stranger interrupted and attacked them first. It seems he was trying to save her.

She watched as he fought and defeated three of them but he so busy fighting he didn't noticed the fourth sneaking behind him until he stuck his sword clean through his back. After "killing" her rescuer the last Viking turned back to Terry. The last thing he saw were her blazing red eyes as she sank her fangs into his neck and drained him.

Terry cradled the stranger's body and felt the life fade out of him and crimson tears began to flow down her cheeks. She looked on in disbelief when she felt the life return to him. He came awake suddenly her arms. "You're not one of mine kind...What are you?"

**Her kind?** He wondered. **What does she mean?** Then he noticed the bloody streaks running down from her eyes and her elongated canines. "Vampire." Was all he said.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aaron pulled Terry close to him until her back was resting against his chest. "He tried to help me. And when I thought he was going to die for saving me......" Terry felt Aaron's arms tighten around her waist. "We became companions, then lovers, then husband and wife."

Aaron tilts her back and kisses her passionately after a few moments he remembers they're not alone. "Sorry. Sometimes we get carried away." He said sheepishly to Robin and Brenda.

Brenda smiled and turned to Robin and gave her little sister a mock angry look. "And you.....You new all along didn't you?"

"I wanted to tell you Brenda but I couldn't. It wasn't my secret to tell."

"Well I forgive you." Brenda put her arm around her best friend. "As long as you tell me how you found out about her."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

__

Paris, eighteen months ago.

"Think about what I said." Terry said as the three friends walked out of the little cafe. Robin kissed Terry and then Aaron and went on her way. She looked back and saw the two of them walking down toward the river. **They are so much in love. If only.....** Robin tried to push the thought out of her head. Watching Aaron and Terry together only made her miss Jason more and however much she wanted to be with him. It just can't be.

She had only gotten a dozen or so feet when she heard a woman scream. It could only be Terry, no one else has gone by. In a few moments she had reached the river and saw what was happening.

Aaron lay on the ground as two men viciously pummeled him. Two others held Terry as she lets out an inhuman cry and lunges at a fifth man who drives her back with.... a cross????

She watched in shock as the one with the cross pulled out a sword. "Hear me child of Satan, daughter of darkness. You were born in evil, but in death you shall receive God's salvation."

With only moments to stop this lunatic Robin pulled a can of mace from her purse. **Bless your paranoid heart Uncle Mac.** She runs up to the man and sprays it directly in his face. He screams and drops the cross and the sword. Seizing the moment Terry picked up both of the men holding her and threw them several feet. Aaron too saw his moment and using some of the martial arts he learned over the years easily took care of his would-be captors.

The men that were holding Terry saw their own death coming and immediately ran for their lives quickly followed by the others leaving only the man who was going to kill Terry. He panicked and tried to make a run for it, but in a burst of speed Terry was on him. Her fangs out, she drained him.

Robin was frozen with fear when Terry started walking toward her. Her eyes were blood red and her fangs out. She watched as Aaron calmly walked up behind Terry and wrapped his arms around her. "Terry? Love? It's okay. She saved you." Terry smiled at Robin her fangs still showing.

Robin fainted.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"They were really going to kill you." A shocked Brenda asked Terry.

"Yes. They were vampires hunters, fanatics." Terry said refilling Brenda and then Robin's mugs. "There aren't a lot of them around, but the ones that are make life difficult."

"I can imagine." Brenda says not really being able to grasp what her life was like.

The four of them sat in silence for a few minutes before the conversation turned to more conventional topics like Aaron and Terry's dinner with Mac and Felecia. Brenda laughs as Aarons groans while listening to Terry and Robin discuss what they are going to wear and what Mac probably has planned for the evening.

*~*

Wyndemere.

Stefan Cassadine paced back and forth glancing at the telephone each time he passed it. **Ring dammit!** Finally the phone heard him. "Cassadine. Yes.... I'm glad you could do this for me.... What's his name?.... Okay I've got it..... Yes..... Yes, and thank you Joseph." Stefan hung up the phone and looked at the name he was given. "Daniel Cohen."

__

(Note: This abbreviated version of Aaron and Terry's first meeting is taken from "Companionship" by Kevin Matsumoto.)

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Aris' house outside the city.

It's done. After two weeks the workmen are finally finished. Aris surveys their work with satisfaction as he walks through the rooms. **Perfect. Absolutely perfect.** They've done a remarkable job it's just how he remembers. The contractor stands to his left justifiably proud of the job he has done. "Does it meet your approval sir?"

"Yes, Mr. Staines. It does indeed."

"I'm glad. Now there is just the matter of my fee."

"Your fee? Of course, I nearly forgot." Aris says while his eyes turn red and his fangs extend.

*~*

Brenda's house.

Standing in front of the full-length mirror in her bedroom Brenda puts on her new trenchcoat. Taking her sword from its case she slips it into the scabbard attached to the harness underneath her coat. Robin watches as she adjusts the harness slightly trying to get it to fit just right. Brenda looks up at Robin. "Well, what do you think?"

Robin looks Brenda over as she turns in front of her. "Incredible. You can't see it. If I didn't watch you put that sword in there myself I wouldn't even know you had one." Brenda turns back to the mirror and looks at herself. "How does it feel?"

"It's a little heavy." Brenda says moving her shoulders and arms around trying to see if anyone will be able to detect the harness while she moves. "But Aaron says if I wear around the house as well as when I go out I should get used to it in no time." She takes off the black coat and tries on the gray one she bought with it and looks at her reflection. She looks over at Robin sitting on the bed for her opinion.

"I like the black one better."

"Me too." Brenda says and takes off the coat and puts the black one back on. She tosses the gray one to Robin who tries it on. "Ready for tonight?" She asks.

"Yes." Robin says taking Brenda's place in front of the mirror. "I just hope Uncle Mac isn't counting on this dinner to put to rest all his little suspicions of Aaron."

"Well if it doesn't you can always have Terry 'whammy' him." Brenda says mischievously.

Robin chuckles at the thought of Mac walking around in a vampiric trance. **Maybe then I can finally get him to treat me like an adult.** She thinks to herself.

"What's with that anyway? Why is he so determined to uncover some deep dark secret?" Brenda asks standing next to Robin in front of the mirror. "That looks good on you."

"Think so?" Robin says admiring 'her' new coat. "You know what is? It's me. If he wasn't my friend or if I weren't involved Uncle Mac wouldn't give Aaron another thought. But since I am....."

".... He's going to turn over heaven and earth to find something." Brenda finishes, thinking that crack about having Terry whammy Mac might not be such a bad idea. Brenda removes her harness and places it on the bed onto top of her coat. "Shouldn't you be getting ready."

Robin looks at the clock. "Shoot! You're right. I promised to meet Terry and Aaron at the loft before we go to the Outback." She takes off her coat and throws it on Brenda's bed as she heads to the bathroom to take a shower.

*~*

The Scorpio house.

Felecia is sitting on the couch waiting for Mac to finish getting dressed. **And he accuses me of taking forever.** She's been having second thoughts about this dinner all day. Not the dinner itself but the reason why she originally arranged it. After finally meeting Theresa Ryan, Felecia was feeling like maybe she and Mac making too much of nothing concerning the holes in her and her husband's pasts. **I mean there's stuff about Mac's past I don't know about. But you don't see me digging into it with a shovel.** As for V, so she knows Aaron and it is possible she misheard her that night when she called him 'daddy'. Maybe. It's possible. She came to a decision. This is it. If they don't learn anything more about them tonight that's the end of it. Now to just make Mac go along with it.

Mac finally comes down the stairs. "You ready to go Felecia?"

Felecia gets up and walks over to him. "Mac, there's something we need to discuss."

*~*

Aaron and Terry's loft.

"No it's okay Robin..... All right.... We'll meet you there." Aaron hangs up the phone. "Terry! Robin's running a little late! She's going to have to meet us there!" Terry doesn't answer. **Nine hundred years and she still takes forever.** "Come on, Love!." He calls out to her. Terry clears her throat and Aaron turns to look at her. **Gods.** Aaron just stares at his wife. She's wearing a white silk dress that hugs every curve of her body. Her long curly hair is down but she wears an antique Irish headband to keep it from her eyes. She almost slinks across the room to Aaron.

"Well?" She asks smiling seductively.

"Definitely worth the wait." He says as he takes her in his arms and kisses her passionately. He releases her and helps her into her coat. "You know, love. Seeing dressed like that you might want to ask Brenda to help you get back into modeling."

Terry looks at her husband not sure if he's being serious. "After that crazy Italian sculptor cut the arms off my statue. Not a chance." She gives him another quick kiss before they walk out the door.

*~*

A vacant warehouse on the docks.

Detective Venus Ardanowski walks through the garbage strewn crime scene. She sees Lieutenant Garcia and Detective Taggert standing near the body. A homeless person discovered it an hour ago. "Lieutenant. Detective." She says to the two men when reaching them. "What have we got? Another victim of our headhunter?" She asks hoping that its not.

"Not this time." Garcia says to her. He kneels down next to the body and pulls the sheet covering the victim down exposing his head. "But this one is just as weird." He says as he turns the head enough to reveal to small puncture wounds on the man's neck.

V looks at the body startled. **Terrific. This is all we need.** She just stares at the body and barely hears Garcia and Taggert talking behind her.

"Any ID on him?"

"Yeah. The vic's name is Staines."

CHAPTER TWELVE

The Outback.

Mac and Felecia were by the bar when they saw Robin come in immediately followed by Aaron and Terry. Aaron removed his wife's coat and all the male eyes in room were instantly focused on her, including Mac's. Felecia elbowed Mac in the ribs getting his attention. "Blink." she said. Mac regained some composure and he and Felecia went to escort them to their table.

Aaron was actually having good time. He instantly shared his wife's opinion of Felecia after they shook hands. Mac however, will take a little time. He and Terry both laughed when Robin told them about Brenda's idea of whammying Mac. Now the idea kind of appealed to him. Almost immediately after they ordered Mac began his interrogation.

Robin sat between Aaron and Mac so she could referee if things got heated. But she didn't expect anything to happen. She was amazed when Terry actually ate some of the rare steak she had ordered. She found out later that Terry spent nearly one hundred years learning to do that. She could now eat a little bit of food and drink a little wine and keep it down, but not a lot. 

Robin groaned when Mac started in on Aaron. But whatever question he had Aaron had an answer prepared. She laughed a little then caught herself when Felecia kicked Mac under the table when he started questioning Aaron. She didn't see it, but when he flinched and Felecia broke into a big smile she knew what happened.

Felecia and Terry, compared to Aaron and Mac were talking like old friends. "So what's your new book about?" Felecia asked after taking a sip of wine.

"I'm working on a sequel to my last novel." She said barely swallowing a small piece of steak. "It's about vampires living in modern times. Posing as humans.... and such."

"I prefer your Victorian era stuff personally." Robin said not realizing how it could be taken until she said it. "Oops."

Terry laughed. "It's okay Robin. So does he." She said pointing her thumb at Aaron. All three women laughed at Aaron when gave his best 'what!?' look.

Mac did learn a few things about Aaron. He learned that Aaron was a professor of history at the college in Toronto but left after some clash with the faculty about his teaching style. He learned that he occasionally deals in antiques. Unfortunately these were all things Mac already knew.

"So how long have you two been married?" Mac asked.

"Seems like forever." Aaron said without hesitation taking his wife's hand from the table and bringing it to his lips to kiss.

Felecia blushed a little watching the couple. **They really love each other.** She looked at Mac who was saying something to Robin who laughed. **I wonder......** The conversations settled down to normal topics and even Mac had abandoned his plan to use the dinner to finally find out the 'truth' about Aaron and simply enjoyed the evening.

*~*

Outside the Outback.

Aris stands in the shadows waiting. **Not long now.** Everything he has done since he came Port Charles has lead to this moment. This is where dreams finally come true. This is wear he proves that he is man she loves. This is where he frees her from Aaron's influence. This is where he saves Theresa from herself. **Not long now.**

*~*

Nightshade.

V walks into the club and sees Mariah sitting at the end of the bar next to Emily. She hangs back until Emily gets up to use the ladies room. She quickly walks over to her. "We need to talk Mariah."

"Venus what is wrong?" She asks noticing the obviously distress she's in.

"Let's go in back. Where's Derek?" V answers as they move to the back booths.

"He's not here, but we can find him. Why?"

"Because we may need him. The police found the body of a dead man tonight."

"So?" Mariah says lighting a cigarette. "Mortals get killed all the time in this city. What does that have do with us?"

"One of you killed him."

*~*

The docks.

Aaron and Terry have left the Outback. All in all it was a rather pleasant evening. Even Mac managed to have a good time. Despite not learning anything. They had left Robin at the restaurant and were walking alone in the moonlight on the docks. There was just something about the way Terry looked in moonlight that made Aaron want to spend another thousand years with her.

Aris watched them from the shadows a crossbow in his hand. He raised the weapon and waited for just the right time.

"Penny for your thoughts" Terry's voice broke Aaron out of a daydream....nightdream.

"I'm thinking that you are the most beautiful, beguiling, bewitching.... Woman in the world."

"Good answer." Terry said as Aaron pulled her into an embrace.

They had ended their kiss when Aris fired his crossbow. The bolt had struck Aaron in the back, the point exiting just below his sternum. Aaron went to his knees staring at the bolt in shock. As he fought to remain conscious he thought could make out Terry fighting with someone. He tried to get back to his feet to help his wife. But he couldn't. The last thing Aaron remembered was hearing Terry screaming his name. 

Then Aaron died.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Aaron awoke with a sharp gasp, he could vaguely make out the shape of someone kneeling beside him. "terry?" His voice was weak and labored.

"No... it's Brenda." Her voice was full of worry and concern. She was on her way to meet Robin at the Outback when she found Aaron lying on his stomach with some kind of stake protruding from his back. Fighting back nausea she pulled the bolt from his body and Aaron regained consciousness a minute or so later. "Aaron..... are you alright?"

"terry.... she..... she..... she's gone." His voice failing, emotion overcoming him.

Brenda was becoming increasingly upset. "Gone? What do you mean gone?"

"some...one.... took..... shot me..... took terry" Tears were starting to fall down his face. "took..... my..... my...... terry."

"Aaron! Stay with me! What can I do?"

"night....shade..... get me...... to...... nightshade"

Brenda helped Aaron up off the ground. She placed one of his arms around her shoulder and arranged his coat to hide the still healing wound. As they walked to the club Aaron's strength began to slowly return.

*~*

Aris' house outside Port Charles.

Terry struggled against the bonds that held her. No matter how much she tried they wouldn't break, these weren't ordinary chains these were specifically forged to bind vampires. Terry ceased her struggling it wasn't getting her anywhere so why bother. She looked around the room where she was being held. It was a perfect replica of a late 16th century sitting room. Everything was exactly as it should be, the furniture, the oil lamps, even the drapes over the boarded up windows were of the period. "Good you're awake." Came a voice from behind her.

He came around so she could see him. He was wearing period clothes that fit in perfectly with the surroundings. He stepped into the faint light cast by the oil lamps and Terry finally got a look at the man's face. "Aris."

*~*

Nightshade.

Brenda and Aaron walked into the club. Aaron's strength was coming back fast but he still needed to lean on Brenda for support. He led them to the back of the club to Mariah's office.

Mariah was talking to V when the door to her office burst open. "What......?" She stopped when she saw it was Aaron. V saw that Aaron was injured and immediately jumped up to help Brenda. They helped him over to the couch and sat him down gently.

V sat down next to him and opened his shirt and saw the wound was almost completely healed. "Oh my god, Daddy. What happened?"

"I screwed up. That's what happened?" Aaron said. "I let him take Terry."

"Who's taken Theresa?" Mariah inquired.

"Aris."

"Aris!" V says shocked.

"Who's Aris?" Brenda asked.

"That son of a bitch is here! Why didn't you tell me! How long have you known!?" V says to her father getting angrier by the second.

"Venus, please." Aaron says trying to calm her down. "We didn't want to upset you."

"Upset Me! Upset Me! After everything that bastard has done! You didn't want to upset me!"

"Venus..." Mariah says trying to calm her also.

"Who's Aris?" Brenda asked again.

This time V answered her. "He's murdering bastard."

"What did he do?"

Neither Aaron nor Mariah answered they just looked at V and waited for her to explain. "He killed my husband. He killed me."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

__

Ireland, 200 years ago.

It was late in the evening and the wedding celebration that began that morning was still going strong. The entire village was invited to the marriage of Justin and Venus. The happy couple has long since retired to their cottage but that hasn't dampened the mood of the guests who were still drinking and singing songs in honor of them.

As Aaron, Terry and Mariah were walking down the street passersby would stop them and shake Aaron's hand or hug the women and then move on laughing all the time. Aaron got a kick out of seeing the look on Mariah's face when this would happen. He wasn't worried that she might do something to them, she had promised Terry that she would be on her best behavior and not kill anyone.

Aaron slipped his arm around Terry as they walked. She had so wanted to be a part of her daughter's wedding but it just wasn't possible here. She was comforted a little knowing that Aaron was there for them both. "It was a lovely ceremony Terry."

"How did Venus look?"

"Like an angel come down from heaven, even Darius was beaming."

"I wonder what they're up to."

Mariah answered her before Aaron could. "That young boy is probably wondering where he's supposed to put it."

"Mariah!" Terry says shocked.

Mariah says nothing and keeps on walking leaving her two friends behind.

In the small cottage at the edge of the village Venus and her new husband Justin were lying in bed together. Her head was resting on his chest. "Justin, how much do you love me?"

"I love you more than all gold in the world lass." He says as Venus raises her head to look at his face. "How much do you love me?" He asks before giving her a quick kiss.

"More than anything."

"More than life?" Came another voice.

The two lovers shot up in bed surprised at the sound of the voice. Justin immediately jumped out of bed and grabbed his sword from his uniform. "Stand where you are sir!" He shouted. "Or I'll be forced to run you through!"

In a split second the man had his hands around Justin's throat. Venus screamed as she saw his eyes glow. Aris sank his fangs into Justin's throat and slowly drained the life out of him as Venus watched. Knowing she was next Venus tried to escape by running for the door but Aris was on her in a moment. Grabbing her by the hair he walked her back to the bed. 

"Please...... don't." Venus said pleading through tears.

"I don't want to do this. But I have to." Aris said trying to explain to her. "I can't let him get away with it. I can't let him think that he can simply take her from me."

"I..... don't..... under....stand." 

"We belong together." He said "He has to understand that what we have is forever." Venus screamed as Aris sank his fangs into her neck.

Aaron, Terry and Mariah were only a dozen or so yards from the cottage when they heard Venus scream. In burst of speed both women were at the cottage door in a second. Kicking open the door Terry saw Aris toss the lifeless body of her daughter down onto the bed. Turning to face her Aris still had blood running down the corners of his mouth.

In a lightning fast move that surprised even Aris, Terry had her hands around his throat her eyes blazing red. "YOU BASTARD!!!" She shouted and then threw the young vampire through the very wall of the cottage. She was already to finish the job when the sound of a heartbeat stopped her. The sound of her daughter's heart.

Aaron who was watching the whole seen from the doorway grabbed his sword and went outside to finish the job on Aris. But the vampire was nowhere to be found. Mariah followed him outside, but even she couldn't sense the young lunatic anywhere near. He was gone.

Terry sat on the bed cradling her daughter who had just remembered what was happening and what that monster had done to Justin. Venus cried for the rest of the night and all the next day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"That's when you became an Immortal." Brenda's voice was almost a whisper.

"Some wedding present." V said sarcastically.

"But what does this Aris person want with Terry?" Brenda asked confused.

"He's in love with her." Aaron answered. "No that's not right. He's obsessed with her. And he's completely convinced that Terry's in love with him." He explained. "Aris had a wife named Teresa, and apparently she resembled Terry a great deal. They were both attacked by a vampire, I forget his name, but something happened and Aris came back. His wife didn't and he went off the deep end."

"So he thinks that Terry is his wife Teresa?" Brenda asks and Aaron nods. "Okay so what do we do to get her back?"

"You aren't going to do anything Brenda. You're going to go back to the loft and let us handle this."

"What?!?" Brenda said shocked.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Nightshade, Mariah's office.

After a great deal of time Aaron finally convinced Brenda that she should leave this situation for he and the others to handle. She had just left the club when Aaron turned to Mariah the anger he was surpressing for Brenda's sake now coming to the surface.

"Where the hell's Derek?"

Mariah looked up at him puffing on her cigarette. "He's coming. He had another little problem to deal with."

"What kind of problem?"

V answered him. "Someone made a kill tonight and left the body where it could be found."

"Great." Aaron said throwing his hands up. "As if we don't have enough to worry about."

*~*

Aris' house.

Terry was still strapped to her chair. Aris would come into the room from time to time to check on her and to apologize for being forced to do this. During his last visit he brought her an exquisite dress he had made for her. He wanted to show it to her to remind her he said of how much she enjoyed wearing it when they were together.

It was becoming increasing clear to Terry that Aris has lost all touch with reality. Two hundred years ago he was just pathetic now he was totally insane. He had lost himself in this fantasy world he created. A world where they lovers, where she was being kept from him and held against her will by Aaron.

Terry knows its just a matter of time before Aaron finds out where she was. Not even Aris can hide from the Enforcers if they're out get him. She's certain that by now Derek has all of his people searching the city for her. They'll find her and when they do, she's going to personally tear Aris' heart from his body and stuff it down his throat.

*~*

Near the practice hall.

Brenda walked along darkened streets. She should've stayed at Nightshade and helped, Terry was her friend too, but she had let herself be talked into going back to the loft to wait for them to call when it was over. Walking along she heard a sound come from behind her. She stopped for a moment and then continued on. A hand reached out and touched Brenda on the shoulder. She screamed.

The man stood some distance from Brenda taking pictures of her as she walked. He had just snapped the last frames on this roll when his cell phone rang. "Cohen..... what name?..... Yes I've heard of you..... Meet you where?..... When?..... Okay, I've got it..... Goodbye." He just placed his cell phone back in his jacket when he heard the woman he was watching scream.

"Robin!" Brenda shouted more embarrassed than scared. "Don't do that!"

"Sorry." Robin said barely containing her laughter. "I didn't mean to."

Brenda put her arm around Robin as they started for the hall. Seeing the look of distress on her friend's face Robin asked what was wrong. Brenda told her about Terry's kidnapping by some psycho vampire that's been in love with her for two hundred years and of Aaron refusal to let her help him find her.

"Aaron knows what he's doing Brenda. She'll be all right." Robin said it like she was trying to make herself believe it. They reached the door of the hall and went inside to wait.

*~*

The Hardy residence.

Liz walked in the door and sat her purse on the coffee table. There was an envelope lying there with her name written on it. She picked it up and opened it. What she saw terrified her. 

Inside the envelope were pictures, dozens of them, they were all of her. There were pictures of her at Kelly's, pictures of her at the store, walking along the docks with Lucky. But it was the last picture in the envelope that made her blood run cold. It was a picture of her sleeping in bed. Almost without thinking Liz grabbed her coat and rushed out the door.

*~*

Back at Nightshade.

Derek had just arrived and had given them the latest report from his people in the field. They have searched nearly the entire city and still no sign of Aris. Derek told them he has now expanded the search to the areas around Port Charles as well.

Mariah and V listened to Derek's report while Aaron sat on the couch lost in thought. V turned to him. "Daddy? Are you listening?" She asked him.

"What?" He said as he looked up. "I'm sorry. I was thinking about that body the police found."

"What about it?" Mariah wondered.

"When was the last time someone made a kill like that here?"

"Not for a while. No one is that careless anymore. I won't allow it." Derek answered.

"Exactly."

"What are you getting at Daddy?" V asked intrigued.

"I don't know. It's just the timing of this death." Aaron got up and started pacing again. "What was his name? What did he do?" He asked his daughter.

V got her notes from her purse and read them. "His name was Victor Staines. He was a building contractor."

Mariah thought to herself for a moment and then stood up from her chair to face Aaron. "Antonius my friend. I think I see where you heading. Aris killed him."

"Oh, come on. That's a pretty big leap."

"Maybe, Little Flower. But think about it. Aris is in Port Charles and then suddenly there's a kill left where anyone can find it. Who around here would do that and take the chance of angering the Enforcers?"

"No one." Derek said flatly. "I'll go to this man's office and check his records." Derek then left the office.

Aaron sat back down on the couch next to his daughter taking her hand in his. V was right, it was a leap. But considering they have nothing else to go on, he'll take that leap until something better comes along.

Twenty minutes later Derek returned with the information. He handed the file to Aaron who looked it over and surprised everyone when he said. "That's it. That's where he has her." V, Mariah and Derek looked at each other in disbelief.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Terry was rapidly losing patience. She had humored this lunatic for hours and now she was tired of this game. Terry was sitting in silence when Aris came back to check on her. "Teresa? How are you?"

"Let me go Aris." Terry's voice was calm.

"You know I can't do that. It's not safe."

"Let me go Aris."

"Please darling. It won't be for much longer. I'll let you go once I'm sure that you are your old self again."

"Let....Me....Go." The tone of Terry's voice was now icy cold.

"Theresa." Aris' voice was almost pleading. "There is nothing I want more than for you to be free. And you will be soon, once I discover what that man did to you after he took you from me." He brought his hand to her face. "Then we can go back to the way it was before all this happened."

"THERE WAS NO BEFORE!!" Terry shouted having lost the last shred of her patience. "Aaron didn't steal me from you! I've been married to him for almost a thousand years! We were never lovers, we were never friends! All of this is something that you created in your mind!" Aris backed away from her in shock, looking at her like she was a complete stranger. 

Aris regained some of his composure. He walked up to Terry and backhanded her hard across her face drawing blood. "You aren't my Teresa! That bastard Grey killed her! You.... you're just a shadow of her and I won't let you desecrate her memory by allowing you to pretend to be her." He walked to the window in front of Terry's chair and ripped the boards off it. "In a few hours the sun will be up and you will be dead. Then my Teresa will finally be free."

*~*

Outside the house.

Aaron, V, Mariah and Derek approached the house. They knew they were in the right place when they saw Aris pull wooden boards off one of the windows. V looked at Aaron in surprise. "How did you know?" She asked him.

"I didn't." Aaron answered a little embarrassed.

"What?"

"I just guessed. I mean it was all we had to go on and I was sick of just sitting around on my ass. I didn't know I would be right." He said explaining.

The others just look at him in shock. Finally Mariah spoke. "What's the plan?"

Aaron got them into a circle. "Mariah you'll go through the window Aris just uncovered." She nodded. "Derek you go through the other window." Derek nodded too. "Venus and I will follow. Now whoever spots Aris first is the one that grabs him."

Derek and Mariah get into position while Aaron readies his sword and V loads the crossbow she brought with her. At the count of three Derek and Mariah smashed through the windows completely surprising Aris who grabbed a sword and tried to attack Terry before they could reach him. He had just raised the sword when Derek grabbed it. V and Aaron crawled through the broken windows and saw Derek toss Aris across the room.

Mariah was busy trying to free Terry from her bonds. Derek turned to help her when Aris attacked him. He grabbed the larger man and threw him back against the wall. Aaron moved to strike with his sword but Aris caught his swordarm. Hearing the bones crack and break Aris tossed him at Derek knocking both men to the floor. 

Aris snatched Mariah by her hair and slammed her head against the table dazing her for a moment. He picked up Aaron's fallen sword and was ready to kill Terry when V stepped behind him and raised her crossbow. "Hey, Asshole!" Aris turned in surprised. "Remember me?" V fired. The bolt striking Aris squarely in the chest knocking him to the floor.

"Teresa, please don't let me die" Aris' voice was piteous as he turned his eyes to Terry. "I love you.'

Finding the key to the lock that held the chains Mariah released Terry who bent down to look into Aris' eyes. "Burn in hell you son of a bitch."

Terry got up and rushed to Aaron and felt his arms envelop her. They just stood there for a moment then Terry broke the embrace and turned to V. V walked to her mother and the two hugged. Derek and Mariah stood to the side with Aaron giving mother and daughter a few minutes alone.

Aaron looked down at the body of Aris. "What happens now?"

"Now you take your wife and your daughter home." Derek answered. "Mariah and I will deal with that." He said pointing to the body.

"Thank you Derek." Aaron said as he followed Terry and V out of the house.

*~*

The practice hall.

Liz Webber arrived at the building still not knowing how she knew where Mr and Mrs Grey lived. The reason she knew was due to a post-hypnotic suggestion Terry gave her to come to the practice hall to find her or Aaron should anything happened that frightened her. Liz opened the door and walked in. Brenda and Robin were surprised by the sound of someone coming in. They were even more surprised to see who it was. 

"Liz?" Brenda asked. "What are you doing here?"

Before she could answer Brenda was hit by the presence of another Immortal. She quickly grabbed her sword from the table and held it at the ready as she heard the door to the hall close and the sound footsteps on the hardwood floor come closer.

"Well, well, well. This isn't exactly how I had it planned but..." The man said as came closer to the women. Finally he stepped in to the light so they could see his face.

Liz saw him and began trembling with fear. "Mr. Murty."

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Liz saw the man's face and began trembling with fear. "Mr. Murty."

Murty just smiled at them. "I knew Resharde would tell Elizabeth to find him if I did anything. So instead of wasting my time hunting all over the city for him, I decided let her lead me to him." Murty was walking slowly towards the women, tapping his sword on the floor as he went.

"What do you want?" Brenda asked stepping forward a little.

"I want Resharde's head. But since I can't have his, I'll settle for yours." Murty raised his sword. "But first, there's a little rule to our game we have to observe." Brenda watched in horror as Murty pulled a gun from his coat and shot Liz and Robin. "No witnesses."

"NOOOO!!" Brenda screamed and ran to her friend. "Robin?"

Robin didn't speak but coughed up blood. She had been hit in the chest and was now struggling just to breathe as she slowly bled to death. Brenda look over at Liz. She didn't need to check to see how she was. The bullet had hit her directly in the heart. Liz Webber was dead. Robin looked at her and released Brenda's hand. 

Brenda shrugged off her coat and picked up her sword. She advanced on Murty, the tip of her sword making lazy, but precise circles in the air. Brenda looked at the gun in Murty's hand. "What are you going to do now? Shoot me too?"

Murty surprised Brenda by tossing his gun to the floor. "I don't need a gun to take care of you little girl."

Brenda approached Murty when he lunged suddenly hoping to catch her off guard and skewer her on his blade. Brenda parried automatically, her sword knocking Murty's to the side. She brought her own sword up in a cobra-quick counter strike which caught Murty across the chest. He stumbled back a few steps before regaining his balance. He immediately brought his sword up and began viciously slashing at Brenda. Her parry was a second too late, she managed to deflect his sword but was unable to prevent him from wounding her in the leg. She staggered slightly as he twisted the blade before jerking it from her thigh.

Murty was getting cocky, he assumed that this wound would slow this new Immortal down enough for him to finish her, but he was in for a surprise. Brenda launched into a rapid series of thrusts and lunges that drew her opponent off balance, his sword out of position to defend his left side. Brenda spun around on her right foot, her sword blurring through the air until the razor sharp blade passed through Murty's neck.

A faint glowing mist rose around Brenda. Then blue arcs of energy resembling lightning danced over her body and climbed the walls. Brenda's body spasmed and jerked as the lightning assaulted her. She screamed as memories, not her own, flooded her mind. She raised her sword arm and the energy that enveloped her seemed to explode above her head. Gradually the memories began to fade, as the glowing blue lightning seemed to disappear into her body. Brenda fell to her knees gasping for breath.

Aaron and Terry were walking back to the loft. They suddenly stopped when they saw a lightning storm erupting from inside the building. Rushing inside they saw the telltale aftereffects of the Quickening. The power had blown out every light fixture in the room. There were small burn marks in the walls where they had been struck by the lightning. Aaron slowly walked into the room followed by Terry. "Brenda?" He said in a quiet voice. Terry touched his shoulder and pointed to where Brenda was kneeling. Aaron came and knelt down next to her.

Brenda slowly became aware of his presence and looked up at him. Her voice was a whisper. "why didn't you tell me?.......why didn't you tell......" Aaron put his arms around Brenda as she sobbed into his chest. Brenda pulled away from Aaron when she remembered Robin. She ran to her friend followed by Aaron and Terry. Brenda knelt down by her and grabbed her hand. "Hang on Robin. We're going to get you to a hospital."

Aaron was behind Terry, who was kneeling next to Robin opposite Brenda, when he slowly turned to look at Liz's body.

Brenda was starting to cry when she looked at Terry. "She's going to be all right isn't she?"

Terry knew, she could feel it happening. "I'm sorry Brenda. She's dying."

"No." Brenda said the emotion overcoming her. She placed her hand on Robin's forehead as her friend looked into her eyes. "Isn't there anything you can do?"

"No. There's nothing I can do. Nothing........." Terry stopped mid-sentence. She looked Brenda and Robin. The two of them were holding hands crying. She thought for a moment and came to a decision. "Robin. Look at me" The small girl shifted her eyes unable to move her head. "You're dying. Do you understand?" Robin nodded barely. "I can save you." At this statement Brenda looked up. "But you have to say yes. There's not much time left."

Robin shifted her eyes back to Brenda who was still holding her hand. She looked at her big sister tears running down her face. She has made her choice. "yes." Her voice was barely audible.

Terry closed her eyes, not sure if Robin really knew what she was agreeing to. Brenda watched unable to speak at what happened next. Terry opened her eyes. They were now blood red, almost glowing. Her canines had elongated and were now pronounced fangs. She turned Robin's head slightly to expose her main artery. Brenda watched trying hold back the nausea as Terry bent down and buried her fangs in Robin's neck. 

Robin's eyes opened wide when Terry began to drink, her hand clutching Brenda's tightly. After a minute or so Robin's eyes began to close and her grip on Brenda's hand lessened. Finally Robin stopped breathing. Terry looked at Brenda who was on the verge of becoming hysterical. "Now we wait."

Only a few feet away Aaron was totally oblivious to what was going on behind him. He continued to just stare at Liz's body. **Here it comes.** Liz's fingers began to twitch ever so slightly. Then all of a sudden her entire body spasmed and her chest was thrust upward as it took a gasping breath. **Here we go again.**

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

The loft, Terry's bedroom.

Robin lay unmoving in the center of the bed while Terry sat on the edge watching her. On the night table were four wine bottles filled with a dark red liquid. It had been over three hours since Robin was fatality shot by Murty, three hours since Terry tried to bring her across. She had done all that she can do. Now it was up to Robin. Will she move on to the next world or will she come back.

Robin began to wake instantly answering the question. Terry raised her into a sitting position. Taking one of the bottles off the table she raised it to her lips and began slowly pouring the contents into Robin's mouth.

At the first taste Robin's eyes opened, her eyes changed from their normal brown to gold and then to blazing red. Greedily she drained the bottle and reached for the second that Terry offered. Once she had drained that bottle, she took a third and leaned back against the bed's headboard.

"What happened?" she asked, then her memory returned. "You did it. You brought me across."

*~*

The living room.

Brenda sat on the couch in the living room staring at the bedroom door and paying little attention to Aaron as he tried to explain to Liz what had happened and what she now was.

They brought Robin upstairs from the practice hall over three hours ago. Since then she and Terry had remained locked in the bedroom. Even on the way up Terry refused to answer Brenda's questions about what was going to happen. The only answer she would give was that it was now Robin's choice.

Not knowing what was going on in there was tearing Brenda apart, she was afraid of what might happen. Would Robin die or would she be reborn like Terry. Either way, whatever fate, she knew the outcome would be her fault. If Robin wasn't with her she wouldn't have been shot and killed, and if she did come back, would Robin blame her for turning her into some kind of monster. If only Brenda could see her.

The sound of Liz's voice brought Brenda back to reality. "You expect me to believe that?"

Brenda smiled when she saw Aaron roll his eyes at Liz's response. It was almost the exact same thing the she had said when she found out that she was Immortal. Putting her hand of Liz's arm, Brenda spoke for the first time. "I know this is hard for you Liz, but this is really happening." 

Liz listened patiently as Aaron explained to her about the Game and the rules. After he finished she looked up at him. "Okay. So I'm an Immortal and that means I now have to play a game where I run around with a sword and chop other peoples' heads off. Is that about right?"

"More or less, yeah." Aaron answered.

"Great. What am I going to tell Gram about my carrying a sword around in my backpack? Or Sarah? Granted she's not the brightest light in the sign, but she's not stupid."

"Elizabeth what you tell your Grandmother or the rest of your family about this is up to you."

"If you want I'll even be there with you if you decide to tell them." Brenda said.

"No that's okay. I have to figure out what to tell them or what not to tell them on my own." She said to Brenda, then turned back to Aaron. "But there's one thing you still haven't explained to me yet. What's going on in there?" She asked pointing at the bedroom.

Aaron sighed to himself knowing that this explanation was going to take a little longer.

*~*

The bedroom.

Robin was sitting up in bed drinking from the last wine bottle and listening to Terry explain what was happening to her. She could already feel the changes in her body. It surprised her somewhat when she noticed that she no longer had a heartbeat. She could also feel her senses getting stronger by the minute. Among them her hearing, she could hear the voices in the next room as clearly as if they were right next her. Terry continued telling Robin what changes her body will go through in the next few days.

When she had finished Robin spoke. "I guess this means I'll have to cancel that I was planning to take to the Bahamas." She said trying to inject some humor into what has become a deathly serious conversation.

"I'm afraid so." Terry said laughing. "But seriously, Robin. You now have powers that you've got to learn how to use, and most important of all, you are going to have to learn how to control your instinct."

"What instinct?"

"The instinct to hunt, to feed, the instinct to kill." Terry saw Robin become uncomfortable at the mention of killing. "Don't worry Robin. In this day in age we don't need to stalk and kill to feed anymore. That's why it's so important for you to learn to control that part of your nature, and I know just the place we can do it at."

"Where?" Robin asked.

"Nightshade."

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

The Hardy residence, two weeks later.

Liz walked into the house, checking to see if Audrey or Sarah were home she went back to the door and brought a long, thin case inside. She set it under the coffee table, then tossing her backpack onto the couch she plopped down next to it exhausted. For the last two weeks she had been going to Aaron's to train after school. She had told her Gram that she had enrolled in a self-defense class so there wouldn't be any problem with her coming home late.

Her training was taking up almost all of her free time with no letup in sight. It seems the only time she saw any of her friends lately was at school, even Lucky, when he decided to show up. She was becoming worried about him. Ever since he found her in the park he seemed to take what had happened personally and finding out what happened between Luke and Laura all those years ago has just made him worse. 

He had taken a job with Helena Cassadine. Liz thinks its just to get back at his dad, or at least she hopes. She can't help but think he may have taken the job because he thought that since Luke lied to him about his mother, he's lying about how dangerous Helena really is.

She had spoken with Luke since Lucky found out and while she can't understand why he did what he did. She knows that what happened between him and Laura is not the same as what Murty did to her. Lucky however doesn't want to hear it. Luke told her about Helena, about what she's capable of and Liz believed him. She wanted to keep an eye Lucky, but since she changed, she can't be with him all the time. No matter how much she wanted to.

Sarah Webber walked in noticing Liz sitting on the couch. "Back from defense class?"

Liz looks up at her sister. "Yeah. You back from stalking Nik?" Sarah throws her a scowl. "Sarah it's been months. Get over it."

"Nik loves me." Sarah says.

"Then why was he spending so much time with Robin Scorpio a couple of months ago."

"Well he's not with her anymore is he?"

"No he's not, you're right." Liz says. **That's only because Robin's become a vampire.** "But he's not with you either."

"He will be. It's only a matter of time before he realized he made a mistake and comes back to me." Sarah says as Liz rolls her eyes. "I wouldn't expect you understand. It's not like you've ever been in love with someone. You're too busy loving yourself." 

With that Sarah starts up the stairs to her bedroom leaving Liz sitting on the couch. **Bitch.** She reached under the table and picked up the case. Putting on the table she opened it for a few seconds and then closed it, not knowing Sarah was watching her from the stairs.

*~*

The practice hall.

Aaron backpedaled as Brenda's blade just barely missed laying him open at the waist. "Hey, this is supposed to be just a practice session." He protested.

Brenda lowered her sword and grinned. "I didn't go anywhere near your head, did I?"

"No you didn't" Aaron lunged unexpectedly, narrowly missing Brenda as she spun around to avoid him.

Now they sparred in earnest. Aaron quickly gained the upper hand and Brenda was driven backwards. Using a counter move that V taught her, she twisted her blade free, bringing it up in a back hand motion that delivered a cut toward Aaron's neck. Aaron ducked almost going to his knees to avoid the blow.

The combination of Aaron's relentless attack and her own missed blow threw Brenda off balance. Before she could recover, Aaron straightened up and used the flat of his blade to rap Brenda smartly on the wrist.

Brenda's hand went numb and as her sword fell from her grasp. All of sudden she felt the point of Aaron's sword on her throat. He grinned as she held up her hands and surrendered.

Aaron and Brenda walked toward the couches. Brenda sat down while Aaron grabbed to bottle of water from the small refrigerator. Handing her a bottle he sat down. 

"Liz is coming along well." Brenda says taking a drink.

"Yes she is." Aaron answered. "She's picking it up almost as quickly as you did."

Brenda sat quiet for moment. "Any news on Robin yet?"

It had been over two weeks since Terry took Robin to Nightshade. Since then Brenda hasn't seen her and barely spoke to her. It wouldn't be so bad if she could talk to her for awhile, and see how she's adjusting to her new life.

Aaron give Brenda a little smile knowing how hard it is for her to be away from her friend. "Brenda she's all right, but Robin can't be around people until she has gotten complete control of herself. Don't worry, Terry says she is learning quickly and should be home in a few days."

Brenda smiled at the news. "Good, cause I just got finished redoing the house. Shutters and heavy drapes on all the windows. A little refrigerator for her bottles of......you know."

Aaron smiled a little in surprise at how well Brenda was adjusting to Robin's condition. He was just about to say something when the phone rang. He walked over to the wall and answered it.

"Hello?.... Conner!"

*~*

A warehouse on the docks.

On the roof of the building Robin stands on the edge, **One step. One more step.**, she takes a step off the building into nothing. In a split second she's on the ground standing next to Mariah and Terry.

Terry claps then hugs Robin. "That was great Robin."

"I've seen better." Mariah says stamping out her cigarette. 

Terry shoots Mariah a dirty look. "Don't listen to her. She's old and bitter."

"I'm younger than you."

"Yes, but I've aged more gracefully. Now don't be mean to her, she's coming along well."

Mariah lights another cigarette. "Now that we're done teaching her all the parlor tricks. Why don't we get down to teaching what she really needs to know."

Robin looks at the two women and suddenly gets the feeling that the other shoe is about to drop.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

The loft.

"What do you mean you're leaving." Brenda says not believing what Aaron just told her.

"I mean just what I said." Aaron told her.

Brenda was confused, twenty minutes ago she and Aaron were talking about Liz's training and what's happening with Robin and then the phone rings and now Aaron decides its time to leave. "I know this has something to do with that phone call. What is it?" Brenda asked concerned. 

Aaron turned to face her seeing the worried look on her face. "Brenda.....I'll explain everything when we get to Nightshade."

Brenda frowns as she puts on her coat and slips her sword into its harness scabbard and follows him out the door.

*~*

Nightshade.

Brenda and Aaron enter the club. A few young vamps start toward Brenda, but instantly back away when they see Aaron with her. They make their way to the back.

Brenda sees Emily Quartermaine sitting in one of the booths with a man with dark hair. Turning to Aaron she asks, "Aaron.....is he?"

Aaron looks over at the couple and smiles. "It's okay Brenda, that's Derek. He won't hurt your friend. If he does Mariah will tear out his heart, she's quite fond of that girl."

They bypass Derek and Emily and head for the door that leads to the back rooms. Aaron told Brenda that these were sort of like hotel rooms for vampires. Mariah set them up so that any vampire could have a safe place to stay if anything should happen. As long they obeyed the rules they could stay as long as they like. They come to the last room along the hall. Aaron knocks and a voice tells him to come in.

They enter the room and Brenda immediately reacts. "Robin!" Robin gets up of the bed and the two women hug. "How are you?"

Robin sits back down on the couch and Brenda sits next to her. "I'm fine. It's been a lot a take in, but I'm good."

Across the room another little reunion takes place. Aaron and Terry are in an embrace. Aaron hasn't seen his wife in two weeks because Terry hasn't left Robin's side since she was brought over. "There's something we need to talk about, Love." Aaron tells her as they sit on the bed.

*~*

The Hardy residence, Liz's room.

Liz sits on her bed polishing her sword with a silk cloth. It was a finely crafted 17th century Italian blade that once belonged to an Immortal that made the mistake of challenging Aaron. A knock on her door startled her.

"Liz! There's someone on the phone for you!" Sarah shouted through the door.

"Alright! I'll be right there!" Liz shouted back. She placed her sword back in its case and slipped it under her bed.

Liz walked out of her room leaving her door slightly ajar. Sarah walked in and began searching for the case she saw her with earlier. She found it under Liz's bed, pulling it out she placed it on the bed. It was almost three feet long and kind of resembled a guitar case.

She opened it and what she saw surprised her. "What the hell?!?"

*~*

Robin's room at Nightshade.

Aaron had just finished telling Terry about the phone call he received from Conner MacLeod. "Is he sure?" Aaron nodded. "I guess that's it then, we have to go."

Aaron hugged his wife and turned to Brenda and Robin who were sitting on the couch talking.

"Brenda, Robin....It's time for Terry and I to go."

"What!?" Robin was shocked by the announcement. "You're leaving.... why?"

"An old friend called earlier and he needs our help."

"Who is he?" Brenda asked, hoping she'll get an answer this time.

"His name's Conner MacLeod and a mutual friend has........well, disappeared."

"What about my training and Liz's? What about Robin?"

"Mariah can help Robin. And as for your training....Brenda you're already better than some Immortals I've seen."

"What about Liz?"

"You can take care of Elizabeth."

"Me?" Brenda said surprised. "I can't train..... I can't do it by myself."

"You won't be by yourself. Venus will help and probably do most of the work."

"Aaron....." Brenda starts but Aaron interrupts. "Brenda.....I know you're scared to be on your own. But believe me both you and Robin are ready."

Robin looks Aaron and then Terry. "When do you leave?"

"As soon as we can." Terry answers.

*~*

Nightshade parking lot.

Derek is walking Emily back to her car. As they walk Derek can't help but notice how lovely Emily looks in the moonlight. They reach her car and Emily unlocks the door. Before getting in she turns to Derek. "I had a really good time tonight."

"So did I." Derek looked at her. He reached over and brushed a loose strand of hair from her face. Then he leaned down and kissed her full on the lips. Emily jerked back and stared at him. Then she moved forward and really kissed him. 

As the two embraced neither one noticed they were being watched. AJ and Keesha were staring at them from the door of the club. Keesha was holding AJ's arm in case he decided to do something stupid.

Derek and Emily finally broke they're embrace. Emily stepped back and stared at Derek almost unable to speak. "Umm....... good night."

Derek watched as Emily climbed into her car and drove away. "Good night."

CHAPTER TWENTY

The loft, the following night.

Aaron and Terry were packing for their trip to New York to see Conner MacLeod. Brenda and Robin were sitting in the living room with V. Aaron brought a couple of Terry's bags out and sat them by the door. He walked over to Brenda and Robin, he handed Robin a set of keys. 

Looking up at him confused. "What are these?"

"The keys to the loft. Terry and I want you to have this place."

"Aaron... I can't. I mean what about you two?"

"Robin..." Aaron began as he sat down next to Brenda and Robin. "Terry and I never intended to stay here permanently. I mean we love Port Charles, but our home now is Toronto."

"And when you're finished in New York, you'll be going back there." Brenda said.

"Not right away, we'll stop here first."

"You'd better." Brenda said sternly before putting her arms around him.

*~*

Liz's room.

Lucky Spencer is sitting on the bed with Liz. He had just shown her some photographs that Helena Cassadine had given him. They were of Laura supposedly after Luke had viciously beaten her. Lucky was so angry when he arrived and after what seemed like forever Liz thinks she finally convinced him that there is a real possibility that these photos are fakes and that Helena is lying to him.

Liz felt so sorry for him he was so confused. Everything he has believed in has been turned upside down. She reached out to him and pulled him into a hug. Lucky's head was resting on her shoulder. He breathed in the scent of her hair. Picking his head up he looked into her eyes. He put his hand up to her face and pulled her into a kiss.

"Liz.... I'm sorry...... I didn't mean......" Lucky said apologizing.

Liz stopped him by putting a finger to his lips. "It's okay Lucky." She then leaned over and kissed him back.

She wrapped her arms around his neck as she kissed him passionately. She eventually released him. They were both short of breath and a little confused by what was happening, but it was too late to stop it.

Liz looked deep into Lucky's eyes and her voice became a whisper. "Make love to me."

Lucky ran his hand through her hair then pulled her back to him. They kissed, then Liz removed Lucky's shirt and ran her hands down his chest. Lucky undid the buttons on her blouse and watched as she let it fall off her shoulders. She kissed him again as they moved slowly down onto the bed.

*~*

The Quartermaine residence, Emily's room.

Emily was sitting on her bed thinking about what had happened the other night at the club. This has never happened before. She hardly knew this man, well she knew, but she didn't really know. So why is he all that she can think about now. It was that kiss.

She's had boyfriends in her eighteen years, but no one has ever kissed her like that, with such passion. She didn't know what was happening and she didn't really care, along as she and Derek continued to get closer.

She was disturbed by a knock on her door. "AJ!"

AJ walked into the room not waiting for an invitation. "We need to talk, Em."

"About what?"

"About last night. About that man at that nightclub, the one you were kissing."

Emily sunk down onto her bed. **Of course, why should I be the only one in this family whose not completely miserable.**

*~*

Outside the practice hall.

Aaron had taken the last of the bags to the cab and he and Terry were now saying goodbye to Brenda, Robin and V.

Terry hugged Robin and Brenda who were both crying despite telling themselves that they weren't going to. She then turned to V who was crying as well.

"Goodbye, Little Flower."

"Goodbye, Mother," V sniffed, "and I promised not to let so much time go by without talking again."

"You'd better not or else I'll take you over my knee." Terry said smiling.

Aaron walked up after saying goodbye to Brenda and Robin. "Goodbye, Venus. Take good care of those two and keep an eye on Elizabeth."

"I will Daddy." V said as she hugged her adoptive father.

They walked over to the others and Aaron addressed them. "We should be finished in New York in a few weeks no matter what happens."

They all hugged again, then Aaron and Terry got in the cab and drove off to the airport. Brenda, Robin and V watched as the cab disappeared into the night.

Brenda was the first to speak. "Well, what do you two want to do?"

V answered. "I don't know. How 'bout we go for a drink?"

Robin spoke. "Good idea, and I know the perfect place."

"Let's go!" Brenda and V said in unison.

END.

Coming Next......"Into The Night"


End file.
